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House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik filed an ethics complaint against Judge Juan Merchan for an alleged conflict of interest pertaining to his daughter’s role at a firm known for representing Democratic politicians. Merchan, an acting Supreme Court justice in New York, is presiding over the unprecedented criminal trial against former President Trump stemming from charges brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. Stefanik, R-N.Y., filed the complaint with the New York State Commission on Judiciary Conduct, warning that Trump, who pleaded not guilty to all 34 counts of falsifying business records, faces "a maximum of 136 years’ imprisonment" if...

State Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan cleared the courtroom Monday over a dramatic spat with the defense’s first main witness, Robert Costello, causing a period of mayhem at former President Donald Trump’s hush money trial. Mr. Costello, a lawyer who once spoke to Trump lawyer-turned-accuser Michael Cohen, seemed to take exception to one of Judge Merchan’s objection rulings, uttering “Jeez,” and then sighing, “Strike it.” “You don’t say ‘jeez.’ And you don’t say “strike it,’ because I’m the only one who strikes it,” Judge Merchan told Mr. Costello, an experienced attorney and prosecutor. He also told him not to give...

Trump’s attorneys filed a motion for mistrial on Thursday after Stormy Daniels took the witness stand. Stormy Daniels took the witness stand again Thursday in Alvin Bragg’s lawfare ‘hush money’ trial against Trump in New York City. ..... Snip..... Trump’s attorneys on Tuesday moved for a mistrial over Stormy Daniels’ testimony, but the crooked judge rejected it. “What’s the jury to do with that? It’s still extraordinarily prejudicial to insert safety — safety concerns into a trial about business records. There’s no way to unring the bell in our view,” Trump’s attorney Todd Blanche argued. “As a threshold matter, Mr....

Porn star Stormy Daniels is on the stand at former President Donald Trump’s “hush money” trial in New York today — a pivotal moment in the case. Daniels is describing their alleged sexual encounter, at times in so much detail that Judge Juan Merchan scolded the prosecution, saying the nitty gritty was “unnecessary.” *** “In fairness to the people, I think the witness was a little bit difficult to control the witness," Justice Merchan said*** Trump attorney Todd Blanche moved Tuesday for a mistrial, citing what he called Stormy Daniels' "prejudicial" and salacious testimony about an alleged sexual encounter with...